Kosher Jelly Bellies?
The Fairfield-based Jelly Belly Candy Company is one of the latest food manufacturers to seek kosher certification.
Each year, nearly 2,000 new kosher items hit supermarket shelves, including a wide range of non-traditional Jewish foods produced by historically kosher companies eager to expand their product lines and by non-Jewish companies interested in boosting sales and attracting new consumer groups.
According to the Orthodox Union, kosher food sales have swelled over the past decade, increasing 10 percent to 15 percent annually.
But it’s not just Jews who are buying. In a survey conducted by New York-based WAC and Strategic Consulting, researchers found that Jews account for only 20 percent of the kosher market. The remaining 80 percent consists of Muslims and Seventh Day Adventists, whose dietary laws resemble kashrut and vegans, vegetarians, the lactose intolerant and those with food allergies who rely on kashrut labeling to alert them to certain ingredients.
In addition, amid recent food recalls and contamination scares, growing numbers of non-Jews are buying kosher-certified foods because they perceive them to be safer.
White Castle latkes win recipe contest
A Missouri woman crossed a traditional Chanukah dish with White Castle hamburgers to win the annual recipe contest held by the Columbus-based chain.
Leslye Louis of New Melle named her creation “The Latkes You Crave,” after White Castle’s slogan “What you crave.” She made the potato pancakes with the usual ingredients, including grated potatoes and eggs, and also incorporated 10 chopped-up White Castle “slyders” — minus the pickles.
As part of her prize, Louis will receive a case of 30 of the burgers each week for a year. — ap
Shades of Bertie Bott’s Beans: All Flavor (kosher) sodas
Coming soon next to the Coke and Pepsi in a store near you: ham-and latke-flavored soda to make your holiday feast complete.
It even will be kosher, the company making it says — including the ham.
Say what?
Jones Soda Co., the Seattle-based purveyor of offbeat fizzy water, is selling holiday-themed limited-edition packs of flavored sodas.
The Christmas pack will feature such flavors as Sugar Plum, Christmas Tree, Egg Nog and Christmas Ham. The Chanukah pack will have Jelly Doughnut, Apple Sauce, Chocolate Coins and Latkes sodas.
“As always, both packs are kosher and contain zero caffeine,” Jones said in a statement.
The packs will go on sale before Thanksgiving, with a portion of the proceeds to be given to charity, the company said.
Jones’ products feature original label art and frequently odd flavors. Last year’s seasonal pack was Thanksgiving-themed, with Green Pea, Sweet Potato, Dinner Roll, Turkey and Gravy, and Antacid sodas.
For its contract to supply soda to Qwest Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks, Jones came up with Perspiration, Dirt, Sports Cream and Natural Field Turf. The company — fortunately or unfortunately — prides itself on the accuracy of the taste.
Jones also makes more traditional flavors, including root beer, cherry and strawberry sodas. — ap
CopyrightJ, the Jewish news weekly of Northern California